Deep Dive into Lead Generation

This is a term we hear a lot in the business world. So much so that you may already be numb to its gravity. Over the next few months, we are going to explore every possible nook and cranny of the world of lead generation.

So, what is lead generation? Marketing lead generation is the creation of buyer interest or inquiry into your company’s products or services. These leads can be used to build up your database or to nurture into paying customers through a sales cycle. The most common channels of lead generation in marketing are through paid advertisements, organic search engine results, or referrals.

I know, this lead generation definition is pretty broad, but it’s important to understand the what, before we dive into the why and the how.

In today’s business world, lead generation and nurturing go hand in hand. We want to make sure potential customers are educated, prepared, and qualified through the creation of content and promotion of inbound marketing efforts. Today’s lead generation market is customer driven – they decide when they start researching, which companies to compare, and when it’s time to close.

Even though the customer is in control, it’s still important to establish a competent and organized lead generation team. For most B2B companies, this team is comprised of your marketing and sales departments:

It’s marketing’s job to plan, produce, monitor, and evaluate the best lead generation tools and channels.

As leads consume this content across various channels and increase interaction with your company, sales can periodically check in on their progress.

After reaching a predetermined qualification threshold, it’s time for sales to close the buying cycle and convert our engaged leads into customers.

Throughout this series, we’ll expand upon our lead generation meaning detailed above and explore how to increase lead generation for your company while still maintaining a sharp focus on gathering qualified buyers.